Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:NATR) Sees Large Decrease in Short Interest

Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:NATR - Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totalling 59,800 shares, a drop of 19.2% from the March 15th total of 74,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 37,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.6 days. Approximately 0.4% of the company's shares are short sold.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nature's Sunshine Products

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Barclays PLC increased its stake in shares of Nature's Sunshine Products by 51.8% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 35,602 shares of the company's stock valued at $485,000 after purchasing an additional 12,152 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in shares of Nature's Sunshine Products by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 20,744 shares of the company's stock valued at $270,000 after acquiring an additional 856 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in Nature's Sunshine Products by 24.3% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 34,633 shares of the company's stock valued at $472,000 after buying an additional 6,769 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Nature's Sunshine Products in the 4th quarter valued at about $200,000. Finally, Bailard Inc. purchased a new stake in Nature's Sunshine Products in the 4th quarter worth approximately $302,000. Institutional investors own 79.40% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, DA Davidson raised shares of Nature's Sunshine Products to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 14th.

Nature's Sunshine Products Price Performance

NASDAQ NATR traded up $0.19 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $11.53. The company's stock had a trading volume of 53,720 shares, compared to its average volume of 48,753. Nature's Sunshine Products has a 52-week low of $10.81 and a 52-week high of $19.92. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $12.92 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $14.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $213.12 million, a P/E ratio of 13.10 and a beta of 1.06.

Nature's Sunshine Products Company Profile

Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc, a natural health and wellness company, manufactures and sells nutritional and personal care products in Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and internationally. It offers general health products related to blood sugar support, bone health, cellular health, cognitive function, joint health, mood, sexual health, sleep, sports and energy, and vision.